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Tears of the Prophets (episode)
This article is about the episode. For the objects called "Tears of the Prophets", see Orb. Sisko leads an invasion of Cardassian territory, ignoring a warning from the Prophets, with fatal consequences for a member of the DS9 crew. (Season finale) Summary On Deep Space 9, the Bajorans are celebrating the Gratitude Festival. Kira Nerys approaches Benjamin Sisko and thanks the Emissary for holding the festival on Deep Space 9, despite the fact the Dominion War is raging. On a more military note, Captain Sisko is awarded the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor in recognition of his remarkable leadership and meritorious conduct against the enemy, and in particular for acts of personal bravery displayed during the battle to retake Deep Space 9. The ceremony is followed by a briefing by Admiral Ross. Starfleet has decided to go on an offensive war and they have chosen Captain Sisko to plan the invasion of Cardassia. Sisko then invites Miles O'Brien, Elim Garak and Worf to join him, Ross and General Martok in planning a first move against the Dominion. They finally settle for the Chin'toka system as it seems to be the weakest spot on the Dominion defense line. It seems that the only difficult part will be to convince the Romulans to agree to the attack plan. At about the same time, Quark, Julian Bashir and Odo are all despairing at Quark's. Odo had his first argument with Kira and the poor Constable is sure it is the end of their relation. Quark and Bashir, on the other hand, had just seen all their remaining hopes to Dax's heart vanish when they learn that Worf and Dax were thinking about having children, confirming the marriage for good. The two decide to go in a holosuite to seek counsel from the wise Vic Fontaine. On Cardassia, Weyoun and Damar discuss the weak defense of the Chin'toka system. While Weyoun is worried, Damar is confident due to the construction of orbital weapon platform, which as well as being fully automated, also have highly effective weapons and defenses. However the discussion is interrupted when Gul Dukat arrives in Cardassian Central Command requesting a Bajoran artifact that was stolen during the Occupation, as well as swearing vengeance on Captain Sisko. A little after, Benjamin Sisko is having dinner with his son and since the Captain "did not overcook the rice", Jake understood that something big is preparing, and asks his father if he can come along. After the Captain realizes he won't be able to keep his son away from the action, he suggests Jake to start packing. As soon as Jake leaves, the Prophets contact Sisko to advise against the Emissary leaving the station. On Cardassia, Dukat gets the artifact, and tells Weyoun and Damar that the way to destroy the Bajorans is to take away their gods. He then recites an incantation and breaks the artifact, releasing a Pah-wraith that possesses the Cardassian. On the station, Captain Sisko has received information regarding the orbital weapon platforms and decides the attack will happen the next day. After a briefing, Sisko tells Admiral Ross about the vision warning him not to go on the mission, to which Ross gives the Captain short shrift and reminds him that Starfleet are unhappy with a Starfleet Captain being a religious icon and tells him to choose between the two. Captain Sisko decides his loyalties lie with Starfleet and agrees to lead the invasion. The next morning, the Senior Officers (as well as Elim Garak and Jake) leave and Captain Sisko leaves Dax in charge of the station. Dax and Worf, after discussing the difficulties they could face in having children, share a loving embrace. The combined fleet arrive at Chin'toka, and the Jem'Hadar inflict heavy losses on the Klingons with suicide runs on their ships. Despite this, Martok orders the fleet to fire on the weapon platforms. However only a few are taken out before they become active. Garak discovers that none of the platforms has a power generator, meaning they must all have a central source. Captain Sisko orders it found. Aboard Deep Space 9, Doctor Bashir informs Dax that his efforts to enable Dax and Worf to have children has worked better than expected, and Dax should have no problems getting pregnant. Dax decides to go to the Bajoran Shrine, as Kira earlier asked the Prophets to help Dax and Worf have children. She goes and kneels before the Orb of Contemplation and as she realizes that her belief that the Prophets are nothing more than wormhole aliens is being questioned, Dukat suddenly beams aboard the station. As Dax reaches for her phaser, Dukat suddenly picks her up with fiery energy and then drops her lifeless body on the ground. He then effortlessly reaches through the force field and opens the Orb casing, upon which the Pah'wraith leaves his body into the Orb, causing it to turn black. Outside the station, the wormhole opens and then seals itself. On the Defiant, Captain Sisko feels that something is very wrong, and Jake is forced to help his father to his quarters. The power source is found on a nearby asteroid, but it is well protected by powerful shields. Chief O'Brien causes the weapon platforms to fire on the source by imprinting a fake Federation warp signature on the asteroid. With the platforms powerless, the Alliance is able to take the system, but the joy quickly evaporates when the Defiant receives a message from Deep Space 9. On Cardassia, Weyoun is furious that not only has the Chin'toka system been overrun, but also the wormhole has vanished along with any hope of bringing reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant. Dukat reminds them that both Sisko and the Bajorans have lost contact with the Prophets, and assures Damar that this will help the Dominion. Aboard DS9, Sisko is asked by a little girl to get the Prophets back. With many Bajorans watching, Sisko promises to try. Heading into the infirmary, Bashir informs everyone that while the Dax symbiont could be saved and must be immediately returned to Trill, there was nothing he could do for Jadzia. As Sisko watches on, Worf and Jadzia share their final words, and Dax regrets that the two will now never have children. Jadzia dies, and as Worf howls to let the spirits know that Jadzia is on her way to Sto-vo-kor, a devastated Captain Sisko can do nothing but watch. Later, Captain Sisko speaks to Jadzia as she lies in her coffin. He tells her how good a friend she has been to him, and is then upset as he tells her the full extent of the decision he made earlier. He has realized he should have listened to the Prophets and not gone on the mission, but instead he went and now it seems the Prophets have abandoned the Bajorans. He knows he has to get his head together and work out how to contact the Prophets, but he also knows he needs to get away from the station. Captain Sisko applies for and is granted a leave of absence. When asked by Doctor Bashir when he plans to return, he replies that he doesn't know. He thanks all of his friends for everything, and he and Jake leave the station. Entering Sisko's office, Kira notices that the captain has taken his cherished baseball with him. In other words, he doesn't know if he'll ever return to the station. On Earth, Sisko scrubs clams at his father's restaurant, deep in thought about the future. Memorable Quotes "By this time next year, the three of us will drink bloodwine in the halls of Cardassia's Central Command." :- Martok, to Sisko and Admiral Ross "Romulans don't believe in luck." "All the better! Leaves more for the rest of us." : - Senator Letant and Martok "Klingons can be quite entertaining, can`t they? Every Romulan zoo should have a pair!" : - Senator Letant "This is a disaster! Federation soldiers have landed on Cardassian soil, and now you're telling me the wormhole is gone? And with it any chance of getting reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant!" "I'm well aware things didn't turn out quite the way I planned, but I assure you we still achieved a great victory." : - Weyoun and Dukat "The Prophets don't see me as a Starfleet captain. They see me as their Emissary." "That's the problem, isn't it? For the past six years you've tried to be both. And up to now I've been patient. I've indulged you; I've gone out on a limb for you many times, but this is it. You need to make a decision. You are either the Emissary or a Starfleet captain. You can't be both." "I'll... I'll be on the ''Defiant bridge at 0500." : - '''Sisko' and Ross "I know this is small comfort, but I never intended you any harm." : - Dukat, to the lifeless body of Jadzia Dax "Pah-Wraiths and Prophets? All this talk of gods strikes me as nothing more than superstitious nonsense." "You believe that the Founders are gods, don't you?" "That's different." "In what way?" "The Founders ''are gods." : - '''Weyoun' and Damar "I was afraid of that... he's not sure he's coming back." "What makes you say that?" "His baseball, he took it with him." : - Kira and Odo "I've found it. Behold, the key to victory. Oh, I see you remain skeptical. Well, you won't be for long. Over the past few months I've immersed myself in the study of the Bajoran ancient texts, and I've come to realize that the wormhole is much more than the gateway to the Gamma Quadrant. It's the temple of the Prophets. It's from there that they smile benevolently down on Bajor. It's from there that they protect that world and its people. The sad truth is we wasted our time fighting the Bajorans when we should've been fighting their gods." "How do you fight a god?" "I'll show you. You see, we have an ally we never knew we had. You may want to step back." : - Dukat and Damar "You're right, Dukat. You have changed. You've gone from being a self-important egotist to a self-deluded madman. I hardly call that an improvement." : - Weyoun "The funeral service is due to begin in a few minutes, Jadzia, but I need to talk to you one last time. When I first met you, you told me that my relationship with Jadzia Dax wouldn't be any different from the one I had with Curzon Dax. Things didn't work out that way. I had a hell of a lot of fun with both of you. Curzon was my mentor. You... you were my friend, and I am going to miss you. I should've listened to the Prophets and not gone to Cardassia. Then maybe you'd still be alive. Dammit! Why aren't you still here, Jadzia? I need you to help me sort things out. Something's happened to the Prophets...something that's made them turn their backs on Bajor and I'm responsible, and I don't know what to do about it... how to make it right again. I've failed as the Emissary, and for the first time in my life I've failed in my duty as a Starfleet officer. I need time to think, clear my head, but I can't do it here, not on the station, not now. I need to get away...and find a way to figure out how to make things right again. I have to make things right again, Jadzia. I have to." : - Benjamin Sisko Background Information * This is the 150th episode of DS9. * This episode marks the death of Jadzia Dax, and thus the departure of Terry Farrell from the series. * This episode featured the First Battle of Chin'toka. * The scripting of this episode as well as discussions by senior writing staff pertaining to the death of Jadzia Dax are chronicled and partially reproduced in Star Trek: Action!, released by Pocket Books. * Michelle Horn (Saghi) later appears in . * This episode featured the last chronological appearance of the second-generation TNG uniforms (first seen in ) in command red, as worn by two officers present during the briefing room scene. Two officers later appear wearing TNG operations-gold uniforms in an establishing shot of Starfleet Headquarters in , because this shot was recycled from . William Riker and Deanna Troi later appear in TNG uniforms in . * The blue Federation flag that graces Dax's coffin was later reused in in the 's briefing room. * Martok's forecast about the victorious end of the war in one year ties into the fact that the writers expected Deep Space Nine to last one more year (for a total of seven seasons), and their intention to end the series with the end of the war and victory by the Federation side. * It is not clear why, when Sisko was removed from the bridge of the Defiant, Kira took command of the ship and not Worf. We have seen in various episodes, and it was explicitly stated in , that the second in command of the Defiant, starting with the fourth season, is Worf, while Kira is second in command of Deep Space 9. Deleted Scenes * A scene deleted from the episode saw Sisko, Worf, Garak and O'Brien selecting a Cardassian target to attack: ** The Torg'Q system was the first to be suggested by Worf, as it was the closest system along the border to Cardassia Prime, however was also the most heavily fortified. One advantage of this fact was that the Dominion would never expect an attack there, but the disadvantage was that the element of surprise might not last long, resulting with heavy casualties. ** The Ventani system was the second target, chosen by Garak, because Ventani II was the birthplace of Tret Akleen, the father of the Cardassian Empire. Garak suggested that such a loss of sacred ground would be devastating to the Cardassians, and a great propaganda victory. Disadvantages of this target were that the system had little strategic value, and its loss would have no effect on the Jem'Hadar. ** O'Brien finally chose the Chin'toka system, because he had noticed that sensor scans of the warp signatures from the Dominion fleet stationed there was slightly different (and almost "too synchronized") than previous scans, suggesting that they were fake signatures. Links and References Regular Cast * Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko * Rene Auberjonois as Odo * Michael Dorn as Worf * Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax * Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko * Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien * Armin Shimerman as Quark * Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir * Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys Guest Stars *Andrew J. Robinson as Elim Garak *Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun *Marc Alaimo as Dukat *David Birney as Letant *J.G. Hertzler as Martok *Aron Eisenberg as Nog *Casey Biggs as Damar *Barry Jenner as William Ross Special Guest Star *James Darren as Vic Fontaine Co-Stars *Michelle Horn as Saghi *Bob Kirsh as the Glinn * Richard Penn as additional voices * Charles Bazaldua as additional voices * Paige Pollack as additional voices * Carlyle King as additional voices * Gary Schwartz as additional voices * Clynell Jackson III as Avery Brooks' stand-in * James Minor as Michael Dorn's stand-in * Cindy Sorenson as Michelle Horn's stand-in References Bajor; Bajoran Gratitude Festival; Bajoran shrine; Bajoran wormhole; baseball; bloodwine; booster modulator; Cardassia Prime; Cardassian Central Command; Cardassian Empire; Chin'toka system; Christopher Pike Medal of Valor; clam; cruiser; Dax, Curzon; deflector array; destroyer; Dominion Headquarters; Dominion War; evasive maneuvers; Federation Alliance; First Battle of Chin'toka; Founders; god; "Here's to the Losers"; ''Honshu'' shuttlecraft; induction stabilizer; Infirmary; Irish whiskey; jambalaya; Klingons; Klingon Empire; Klingon death ritual; moon; New Orleans; O'Brien, Keiko; Occupation of Bajor; Operation Return; orb; Orb of Contemplation; orbital weapon platforms; Pah-wraiths; peldor joi; plasma torpedo; propaganda; Prophets; regenerative force field; rice; Romulans; Romulan front; Romulan Senate; Romulan Star Empire; Sisko, Joseph; "Sisko's"; Solis; squadron; subspace power generator; Trills; vedek; warp signature; Ziyal, Tora; zoo Starship References ; ; ; ''Defiant'', USS; ; ; ''Galaxy'', USS; ''Hood'', USS; Jem'Hadar fighters; Klingon Bird-of-Preys; ; ''Nautilus'', USS; ''Rotarran'', IKS; ; ''ShirKahr'', USS; ''Tian An Men'', USS; ''Valley Forge'', USS; ''Venture'', USS; External Links * * |next= }} Category:DS9 episodes de:Tränen der Propheten (Episode) es:Tears of the Prophets nl:Tears of the Prophets (aflevering)